pennyspoetryfandomcom-20200214-history
William Motherwell
William Motherwell (13 October 1797 - 1 November 1835) was a Scottish poet, antiquary and journalist, Life Overview Motherwell was born and educated in Glasgow, he held the office of deputy sheriff-clerk at Paisley, at the same time contributing poetry to various periodicals. He had also antiquarian tastes, and a deep knowledge of the early history of Scottish ballad literature, which he turned to account in Minstrelsy, Ancient and Modern (1827), a collection of Scottish ballads with an historical introduction. In 1830 he became editor of the Glasgow Courier, and in 1832 he collected and published his poems. He also joined Hogg in editing the Works of Burns. John William Cousin, "Motherwell, William," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 281. Wikisource, Web, Feb. 15, 2018. Youth and education Motherwell was born in Glasgow, the son of an ironmonger, descended from an old Stirlingshire family. In his childhood the family moved to Edinburgh. Here he began his education, which he completed by further school training at Paisley (residing there with an uncle).Bayne, 193. He studied classics for a year at Glasgow University, 1818-1819) Career He was received into the office of the sheriff-clerk at Paisley, and from May 1819 to November 1829 was sheriff-clerk depute of Renfrewshire. As a youth he had very advanced political opinions, but unpleasant personal relations with the ardent reformers whom he encountered transformed him into a zealous tory. For a time he was a trooper in the Renfrewshire yeomanry cavalry, and he became a respectable boxer and swordsman. Motherwell wrote verse from an early age. The ballad "Jeanie Morrison" was sketched in his 14th year, and published in an Edinburgh periodical in 1832. In 1818 Motherwell wrote verses for the Greenock Visitor. He edited, with a preface, in 1819, The Harp of Renfrewshire, a collection of songs by local authors. In 1824, under the pseudonym of "Isaac Brown, late manufacturer in the Plunkin of Paisley," he published Renfrewshire Characters and Scenery, a good-natured local sketch in Spenserian stanza. In 1827 appeared in small 4to Minstrelsy Ancient and Modern, a judicious collection of ballads, with a learned and discriminating introduction. This brought him into friendly relations with Walter Scott. A restrained conversationalist, Motherwell could be eager and even vehement when deeply moved, and with kindred spirits such as R.A. Smith, the musician, and others of the Whistle Binkie circle he was both easy and affable.Bayne, 194. In 1828 Motherwell conducted the Paisley Magazine, and he edited the Paisley Advertiser from 1828 to 1830, when he left Paisley to be editor of the Glasgow Courier. In both Paisley papers he inserted many lyrics by himself. At Glasgow he threw himself with ardour into his work at an exciting and exacting time, and under his supervision his journal was distinguished by freshness and vigour. While editing the Courier he wrote pretty largely for the Day, a Glasgow periodical begun in 1832. In that year, too, he contributed a discursive preface to Andrew Henderson's Scottish Proverbs, and issued his own Poems: Narrative and lyrical. In 1835 Motherwell collaborated with James Hogg in an edition of Burns, to which he supplied valuable notes. His recent biographers are astray in crediting him with the bulk of the accompanying biography of Burns, which, with an acknowledged exception, is clearly the work of Hogg. Having identified himself with Orangeism, he was summoned to London in 1835 to give information on the subject before a special committee. Under examination he completely broke down, showing strange mental unreadiness and confusion, and was promptly sent home. For a time he seemed likely to recover, but the disease developed, and he died at Glasgow of apoplexy. Writing Motherwell's range and grasp are very considerable. His pathetic lyrics — notably "Jeanie Morrison" and "My Head is like to rend, Willie" — show genuine feeling. This class of his work drew special praise from Mary Russell Mitford in her Literary Recollections. His social instinct and public spirit are illustrated in his spirited cavalier lyrics. His essentially superstitious temperament, clinging to the Scottish mythology that amused Bunis, specially qualified him for writing weird lyrics like his "Demon Lady" and such a successful fairy ballad as "Elfinland Wud." He was the first aft«r Gray strongly to appreciate and utilise Scandinavian mythology, and his three ballads from this source are energetic yet graceful. Professor Wilson said of Motherwell: "All his perceptions are clear, for all his senses are sound; he has fine and strong sensibilities and a powerful intellect" (Blackwood, xxxiii. 670). Critical introduction by William Minto Motherwell's reputation in his own country as a poet was made by the plaintive song of "Jeanie Morrison", a sweet and touching reminiscence of pleasant days spent with a school playfellow and child sweetheart. This and another song in the Scotch dialect, "My heid is like to break", in which a betrayed damsel harrows up the feelings of her seducer with pitiless pathos, may be said to be the only two lyrics of his that have taken any hold of fame. They prove him to have been a man of keen sensibility; he was also a man of vigorous intellect and large culture, more of a student and a scholar than any contemporary Scotch lyrist. He wrote but little in verse — after he reached the prime of manhood his powers were wasted in vehement partisan support of a hopeless cause — but the little that he did write was not in the minor key of the songs in his native dialect. The exploits of the Vikings fascinated his imagination, and as the bard of these sturdy warriors he sang with a vigour that entitles him to be named as a link between Gray and Collins and Mr. William Morris. Motherwell found in the mighty deeds and haughty spirit of the irresistible masters of the sea more congenial themes than the woes and the aspirations of the Jacobites of which the literary world by his time was becoming somewhat weary, and revelled in the fresh field with eager delight. The most touching of his poems in its personal emotion, "I am not sad," shows him resigned to "the sadness of a nameless tomb," but it is hard to believe that the wealth and variety of power evidenced in such poems as "The Madman’s Love," and his two songs in the Scotch dialect could have rested unused.from William Minto, "Critical Introduction: William Motherwell (1797–1835)," The English Poets: Selections with critical introductions (edited by Thomas Humphry Ward). New York & London: Macmillan, 1880-1918. Web, Mar. 16, 2016. Recognition Motherwell is buried in the Glasgow Necropolis. The grave was originally unmarked but in 1851 a monument carved by the celebrated Scots sculptor James Fillans was erected by admirers.glasgowsculpture.com A revised and enlarged edition of his poems, with biography by James M'Conechy, appeared in 1846, and in 1848 it was further supplemented and re-edited by William Kennedy. Publications Poetry *''Renfrewshire Characters and Scenery: A poem, in three hundred and sixty five cantos'' (as "Isaac Brown"). Paisley, UK: T. Dick, 1824. *''Poems: Narrative and lyrical. Glasgow: D. Robertson, 1832. *The Poetical Works'' (edited by James McConechy). Glasgow: D. Robertson, 1847. *''Posthumous Poems. Boston: Ticknor, Reed, & Fields, 1851. Short fiction *''The Laird of Logan; or, Anecdotes and tales illustrative of the wit and humour of Scotland (contributor). Glasgow: 1841; Glasgow: R. Forrester, 1878. Edited *''The Harp of Renfrewshire. Paisley, UK: J. Laurence / Glasgow: William Turnbull, 1819; Paisley, UK: A. Gairdner / Glasgow: D. Robertson, 1872. *Minstrelsy: Ancient and modern. (1 volume), Glasgow: John Wylie, 1827; (2 volumes), Boston: William D. Ticknor, 1844. ''Volume I, Volume II **revised as Early Scottish Ballads. London: Charles Griffin, 1864. *''Certain Curious Poems: Written at the close of the XVIIth and the beginning of the XVIIIth century''. Paisley: 1828. *Robert Burns, Works (edited with James Hogg). (5 volumes), Edinburgh: A. Fullarton, 1834-1836. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Motherwell, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 25, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Aug. 25, 2016. Notes See also *List of British poets External links ;Poems *Motherwell in The English Poets: An anthology: "True Love's Dirge," "Jeanie Morrison" *William Motherwell at PoemHunter (8 poems) *William Motherwell at Poetry Nook (144 poems) ;About *William Motherwell (1797-1835) at English Poetry, 1579-1830 * Motherwell, William {[[Category:1797 births] Category:1835 deaths Category:Scottish poets Category:People from Glasgow Category:Scottish antiquarians Category:Scottish journalists Category:19th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets